At Gloucester Crown Court, Judge Jamie Tabor QC presided over a short case progression hearing which defendant Steven Letts, of Barton Street, was not required to attend.

Letts, 38, has pleaded not guilty to abducting a 12 year old girl in Gloucester and raping her in his flat between March 6 and March 8 this year.

His trial is scheduled for July 3.

As part of the trial preparation at the hearing on Tuesday, the judge heard that the defence may have questions for a witness who lives in New Zealand and that there was the potential for them to give evidence via video link - although the judge observed that the time difference could make scheduling that evidence difficult.